


An Everday Love

by 852_Prospect_Archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Drama/Romance, M/F - Category
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-10
Updated: 2013-05-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 05:46:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/794558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/852_Prospect_Archivist/pseuds/852_Prospect_Archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Part of the Tangled Web of love series. Blair and Mariah look forward to a new life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Everday Love

Disclaimer: Jim, Blair, and Simon, as well as Cascade, the Corvair, Jim's truck, and the loft belong to UPN and Pet Fly Productions. The sisters and their belongings are mine, as are any other original aspects of the story. I'm making no money, and you can't get blood out of a poor working peon, so please don't sue. 

In this story, / indicate thoughts, * indicate emphasis. 

With sincere thanks to my beta readers: Yvonne and Linda. They made wonderful suggestions, whether I took them or not was up to me, so don't hold anything against them. I also want to thank Carrie, Cheryl, and John for the help they've given me while I worked on this series. This is part of the "Tangled Web of Love" series. 

This contains loving, consensual sex between a man and a woman, so if you're not 18, or graphic depictions of sex offend you, go play somewhere else. 

## An Everyday Love

by Gabrielle Bessey  
6/18/97  


Mariah laughed as a stool was provided from somewhere behind the stage. She sat down and adjusted the mike. While she waited for Jake, her lead guitarist, to join her, she stroked the silk that lay across her belly and felt the baby kick. When they both settled, she spoke to the audience. 

"Well, guys, it was bound to happen one day. Jake and I were brainstorming over an arrangement when we started talking about doing something original. Jake created the beautiful melody, and I wrote the lyrics." 

She stopped and took a sip of water. "Amazingly enough, it wasn't a difficult thing to create a song that described how I felt--the hard part came when I realized I had too much and had to trim some of the lyrics. Maybe I'll save them for another song." 

Mariah smiled out into the dimly lit club, instinctively looking toward the table where Blair, her sisters, and their lovers were sitting and listening. Everyone had shown up for Mariah's last performance until after the baby was born. There were only five weeks until her due date, and she wanted to spend that time making sure the nursery was ready. 

"This song was written for Blair, who showed me that the world is still beautiful, and that love will find you if you let it." 

Jake began the soft melody, giving Mariah a moment. 

> __  
> With every aching breath  
>  With every beat of my heart  
> Love fills my empty soul  
> Oh, that's how it goes, that's how it starts
> 
> You walked into my life  
> And you swept away the pain  
> Created order out of chaos  
> Made me whole, made me sane
> 
> Thought I'd never see the sun again  
> Never thought I'd see the light  
> Then I saw your face and felt your love  
> A love I knew was right
> 
> With every aching breath  
> With every beat of my heart  
> Love fills my empty soul  
> Oh, that's how it goes, that's how it starts
> 
> I hear your laughter in the night  
> And I see all of your tears  
> I know your joy and sorrow  
> I share your dreams, your fears  
> When you hold me in your arms  
> And I'm lost in the beauty of you  
> I'm on top of the clouds and I'm truly alive  
> 'Cause I found a love that's true
> 
> With every aching breath  
> With every beat of my heart  
> Love fills my empty soul  
> Oh, that's how it goes, that's how it starts

Mariah's voice petered out and Jake finished the melody. There was a moment of silence before the crowed erupted and stood. They bowed and smiled their thanks, then they made their way out into the audience. 

Mariah shook hands with everyone she passed, accepting the hugs and congratulations of her fans. When she reached the table with her family and friends, she was besieged with hugs and kisses. Blair stood in the back and waited for everyone to finish before he tried to get close to her. 

When she'd thanked the last sister and friend, she turned her head to find Blair watching her with loving eyes that made her want to cry. Mariah moved into Blair's embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck. 

"I hope I didn't embarrass you." 

Blair leaned back to look into her face. "Embarrass me? Are you kidding? I'm the luckiest man in this room, and I want everyone to know it." 

Mariah smiled into his neck, then pressed a kiss below his ear. They stood swaying for a moment before Blair eased her into a chair. Mariah sat up and tried to remove some of the kinks she'd had all day. Without missing a beat in the conversation, Blair spanned her back with his hands and began to massage the muscles. Mariah sighed and gently arched her back as his fingers worked out the knots. Jim watched the pleasure cross Mariah's face, winking at her when she looked over at him. 

She winked back and let herself relax into Blair's touch. When he finished, she reached back with her hand and trailed her fingers down his cheek. 

"Thanks, love. I'm surprised more dads at the Lamaze class weren't clamoring for lessons." 

Blair turned to kiss her palm, then he grabbed her hand. "You're welcome, and I think they were afraid to let me anywhere near their wives after they caught us before class." 

Mariah laughed loudly as she remembered the shocked gasps from class attendees when they'd come in to find Mariah straddling Blair's lap and pressing an open kiss to his willing mouth. They'd both giggled as they reluctantly separated and turned to face the front of the class. Later that evening, the instructor had stopped them before they left and told them she was glad to see people who were still enjoying themselves. 

Mariah had given the woman a conspiratorial wink as she replied. "Every chance we get." 

Mariah felt her cheeks get warm as she remembered when they got home after the class.   
  


* * *

After a quick shower, Mariah stood in the bedroom toweling her hair, wearing a robe but leaving it unfastened. Blair sat on the bed and watched her. She stopped squeezing the water from her hair as she felt his gaze on her. Flipping her hair out of her eyes, she turned to look at him. 

"What?" 

Blair shook his head and smiled, holding out his hand for her to come sit down next to him. When she sat on the bed, he grabbed a comb and began to work on her hair, smoothing it down on the silk that covered her shoulders. Mariah closed her eyes as he worked his magic and eased the tension from her body. When he finished, he laid the comb on the dresser and got up from the bed. Mariah opened her eyes and watched as he grabbed a bottle of lotion and knelt on the floor next to her. Squeezing some out onto his palms, he began to knead the muscles in her feet and legs. He rubbed her knees, then made his way up to her thighs, stroking her muscles with long strokes. Blair then sat behind Mariah on the bed and eased the robe off her shoulders and clipped her hair up on top of her head. 

His palms were slick with lotion as he ran them down her arms and gently rubbed her hands and fingers. Bringing his hands back up, he rubbed her shoulders before inching his way down her back. Mariah sighed as he stroked and smoothed the muscles in her back. 

Blair kissed her shoulder before he whispered in her ear. "Stand up." 

Mariah stood, and the robe slipped to the floor. Blair stood and pressed up against her back, sliding his hands around to rest on her belly. Slowly, he circled his palms against her skin as he massaged the lotion into her. They both laughed when the baby kicked and rolled against his hands. As Blair continued to touch her, Mariah felt a slow burn as she felt her body respond to Blair's massage. She gasped as his hands came up and cupped her breasts, rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger. 

Blair grinned as he licked her neck. "Feel good?" 

Mariah's hands reached back, and her fingers dug into Blair's hips. "God, that feels incredible." 

"Good." He continued to caress and stroke her skin as Mariah writhed against him. Even through the denim of his jeans, she could feel him getting hard, and she wiggled a little more, grinning when he groaned against her ear. 

"Feel good?" She giggled a little. 

Blair growled as he turned her around his arms and teased her mouth open with tongue. Mariah wrapped her arms around his neck as their tongues danced with each other. With practiced fingers, she helped him get rid of his clothes, then ran her fingers up and down his back. 

Breaking away from her mouth, Blair nibbled down her jaw to her neck, biting and sucking at the juncture of her neck and shoulder to mark her. Stepping back, he looked at her. Looking into his eyes, Mariah shivered. Blair smiled as he continued to look. 

"Do you know how *incredibly* sexy you are?" 

Mariah shook her head. "Tell me." 

Blair licked his lips and tried to put what he saw into words. "I like your hair tousled like that--like you've just gotten out of bed. Your mouth is swollen from our kisses, and your eyes are wide and bright." 

Mariah smiled. "Sometimes, I wondered if you still found me desirable. Some men don't like to look at pregnant women." 

Blair grinned. "Those men are morons. I have loved watching your breasts get fuller, knowing they're so sensitive when I touch them; feeling the fullness of your hips. The best part has been watching my baby grow inside you--knowing that I helped do this." 

As he spoke, Blair ran his fingers down her sides to her hips, pulling her to him as he spoke. Mariah grabbed his shoulders and pressed a kiss to his neck. 

"You are so good to me." She sighed into the curls that brushed against her cheek. 

"And you are so good for me." Blair wrapped his arms around her. "Now, where were we?" 

Mariah pointed to the mark on her neck and giggled. Blair gently eased her back onto the bed so that she was sitting somewhat on the edge. Kneeling down, he slipped between her legs and pushed them apart to nuzzle her pubic hair. Mariah gasped as she felt Blair's tongue slide against her, and her fingers curled into the comforter. His hands came up and stroked the underside of her thighs as he licked her clit, sucking gently on the tender folds. 

Mariah groaned as pleasure raced along every nerve, but she couldn't move as Blair rubbed his tongue harder against her. Her body jerked and shuddered as she came, hissing as her head fell back and her fingers splayed against the bed. Blair held onto to her as she shivered, and he watched as her head came back up. With tentative fingers, she traced his nose and cheeks as she regained coherence. 

"I will never get tired of loving you." 

"Me either." Blair kissed the inside of Mariah's thigh and felt another shiver. 

Sitting down on the floor, Blair motioned for her to join him. 

She grinned as she kneeled next to him. "You're going to need a crane to get me up." 

Blair stroked her arm. "It'll be worth it." 

He turned her so that her back was to his chest, and he gently helped her straddle him. With a long, satisfied sigh, Mariah sank onto Blair's cock and rested her hands below his knees. He rubbed her hips and thighs as she moved around, then kissed her back. She rocked back against him, and they moved together with a slow, steady rhythm as they tried to make it last. Mariah was still trembling when she felt Blair's fingers dig into her hip, shuddering as he spilled into her. Blair sank back onto the floor, still holding onto Mariah. 

Her body relaxed as she sat there, Blair still inside of her, and she looked at the parts of his body she could see. 

/Got to try this when I'm not pregnant./ Mariah grinned. 

"You know, love..." 

A drowsy "mmmm" was his only response. 

"You have very sexy feet." 

Mariah turned her head to look back at Blair, finding him staring at her with a lost expression. 

"What?" 

Running her fingers over the skin she could reach, she repeated her statement. "You have very sexy feet. I just realized that--of course, I'm not usually in this position, so I hadn't really noticed before." 

Mariah felt his body shake, and she turned to find him laughing. With a shake of her head, she eased off of him as he softened and kind of leaned over his chest, trailing her fingers over his skin. 

"You have a very sexy chest, too." 

Blair grinned. "So do you." 

"Before or during pregnancy?" 

Blair stared at her breasts and stroked them. "That's a difficult question to answer." 

"Coward." 

Blair laughed again. "I like you any way I can get you." 

Mariah smiled. "You're such a smooth talker." 

Blair quirked his eyebrows as he sat up. He leaned over and kissed her, his tongue stroking her lips before he delved inside to rub her teeth and the roof of her mouth with the tip of his tongue. When the kiss ended, Blair rested his forehead against Mariah's. 

"Let's go to bed." 

Blair moved out of the way so that Mariah could maneuver herself onto her knees. Using the bed as support, she lifted herself enough to sit on the bed. 

"I told you we'd need a crane." 

Blair pulled the comforter and sheet down as Mariah grabbed a nightgown and slipped it on. She climbed into bed, shifting pillows. Blair climbed up beside her and waited until she settled before spooning up behind her. Mariah had found that the best body pillow was Blair, and she always got a really good night's sleep when he stayed the night. 

As he rubbed her belly, Mariah stared into the darkness of the bedroom. 

"Blair?" 

"Hmmm?" 

"Do you ever get scared? I mean, with everything that's about to happen?" 

She felt a soft kiss against the back of her head. 

"Yeah, all the time. What with the way things are these days, and how easy it is to screw with someone's head--yeah, I get scared. But I think we will love this kid with all that we are, and we're going to do the best we can." 

"Let's do the best we can together, okay?" 

"Okay."   
  


* * *

Bringing herself back to the present, Mariah listened in on the conversations around her. She felt Lauren tap her arm and turned to face her sister. 

"Don't forget about tomorrow." 

Mariah shook her head. "I won't. Nobody bought any baby-sized handcuffs, did they?" 

Lauren shrugged and grinned. "Maybe Blair-sized, but none for the baby. You need to be there by 2:15." 

Mariah nodded. "I'm picking Blair up at eleven so that we can get the crib, then we'll get some lunch. Do you and Jim want to join us?" 

Lauren thought for a moment, tapping her chin with her finger. "Let me see how it goes tomorrow." 

"Sounds good." 

Mariah looked over to find Jake waving her back to the stage. She leaned over and kissed Blair's cheek, then returned to finish her last set. 

/All this adrenaline is enough to give you a head rush./ Mariah stared out over the crowd that was dancing around the tiny floor. She finished the song with a flourish, accepting the applause and good wishes from the audience. Making her way back out into the crowd, she thanked as many people as she could before she sat down. Leaning back against Blair to try and find a comfortable spot, Mariah picked up Blair's hand and placed it on her belly. She knew the baby would kick at that spot, and it thrilled Blair every time he felt his child move within her. Sometimes, Mariah wished she had a picture of Blair's face the first time he felt that flutter--a tear had slipped down his cheek as the reality hit home. He'd knelt before her and pressed a soft kiss to her belly, then laid his head against her. Mariah ran her fingers through his curls as he wrapped his arms around her. 

She also would have like a picture of him planning to tell Naomi that she was going to be a grandmother. Blair had been so nervous, and Mariah had started rubbing his shoulders and back, which led to an intense round of necking that was interrupted by Naomi's arrival. She'd waltzed into the apartment to find them spread out on the sofa, hands roaming over each other's bodies. Her delicate cough had surprised Blair, and he'd fallen onto the floor with a rosy blush on his cheeks. Both Mariah and Naomi had laughed at his expression as he sheepishly picked himself up. He'd hugged his mother, as had Mariah, then escorted both of them to lunch. In the end, Naomi guessed before either of them could say a word. 

"You're glowing, Mariah." Naomi brushed her hand over Mariah's. 

Blair turned to look at Mariah's face. Naomi was right--her face was bright with a rosy glow, and her eyes were shining with joy, love, peace--any number of emotions that he himself was feeling. 

Naomi hugged Blair and Mariah as they celebrated.   
  


* * *

Blair and Mariah walked hand-in-hand through the garage as they made their way to the elevator. Good-natured arguing filled the elevator car as they made their way to the seventh floor. 

"No, Blair, I am *not* naming any child on mine Ebenezer." 

He slowly brought her hand up to his lips and began to nibble on her fingers. He was still nibbling when the door opened and they stepped off. Most of the detectives had gathered at the door into the bullpen and were watching the display. 

Mariah shook her head. "I don't care how good this feels. I'm taking a stand...now." 

As Sam came around the corner, she stopped to watch Blair and Mariah. She saw the tip of his tongue come out and gently stroke Mariah's palm before he released her hand. 

"Please?" 

Mariah sighed as she reached out and grabbed Blair's jacket, pulling him to her so that she could kiss him thoroughly. By the time she was finished, Blair and half the men in the bullpen were well on their way to hard-ons. 

"No." 

Wolf whistles and claps ushered them into the office. They were led to the back, near Simon's office, where the refreshments and gifts were loaded onto a table. They got Simon's chair from his office and brought it out for Mariah. Blair pulled a chair up next to her, and gifts were divided among them. They both laughed as they opened little socks and diapers and onesies. There were plug covers and thermometers and baby bath sets in a variety of colors. 

When Blair reach across her to put another gift on the table, he brushed across her belly, and Mariah felt the baby kick her in the ribs. She grimaced and rubbed her ribs. Blair immediately grabbed her hand, and the rest of the onlookers became concerned. 

"Are you okay?" 

Mariah grinned and nodded her head. "Yeah, but I think I'm going to make a rule that from now on, you can only touch the front of my belly when you sing lullabies to the baby." 

Blair looked confused. "Why?" 

She grabbed his hand and placed it on the front of her belly. Everyone watched as they saw the baby roll toward Blair's hand. "Because this baby gravitates toward you, and I'm getting tired of being kicked in the ribs or the kidneys." 

Mariah rubbed his hand as it laid there. She looked up and found Jim studying her with a curiously shy look on his face. Mariah reached for his hand and placed it next to Blair's. They waited for a moment, but the baby didn't move. 

"Go on." Mariah kind of leaned over and whispered in Blair's ear. 

Blair looked embarrassed, then shrugged. In a low voice, he began to sing the lullaby from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", and Jim felt the baby's foot kick against Mariah as Blair sang. Mariah smiled and Lauren choked up a little when they both saw the wonder on Jim's face. When Jim moved away, Simon stepped forward so that he could feel the baby. Most of the detectives took a turn feeling the baby shift and move, and Mariah thought how surprised the public would be to see these tough-as-nails detectives get whimsical over baby kicks. 

They cut the cake and passed it around. When the crowd had cleared, Sam came forward with her package. Blair jerked back for a moment when he saw her. They had not parted on good terms, and he didn't want a scene that would cause Mariah any stress. Out of the corner of her eye, Mariah saw Blair step back. She turned to find Sam standing in front of both of them, looking a little nervous. 

She handed Mariah the box. "Congratulations." 

Mariah took the gift and offered Sam a piece of cake. "Thank you. Would you like some cake?" 

Sam took the plate, then looked at Blair. "I wish you all the best." 

Blair nodded. "Thanks, Sam." 

Sam gave them both a quick smile, then left the office. Blair let out a sigh and draped his arm across Mariah's shoulders. "That could have been worse." 

Mariah slipped her arm around Blair's waist. "Oh, I don't know about that. I think she knew what would happen if she tried anything." 

Blair turned to look at Mariah, confused by the grin he saw on her face. "What would happen?" 

Mariah leaned closer and pressed a kiss to the corner of Blair's mouth. "I would have used her teeth to make a new necklace." 

Blair laughed and wrapped his arms around Mariah, pulling her close. "God, I love you." 

"Don't you forget it."   
  


* * *

Two Weeks Later 

Angela jogged over to Jim as he discussed softball strategy with some members of his team. She slipped an arm around his waist and hugged him. Jim returned the hug as the other team members watched, never breaking the conversation. They saw the resemblance to Lauren and knew she was a sister, which explained the casual familiarity. Unconsciously, the single guys straightened and preened slightly at the sight of an apparently unattached Carruthers sister. 

"Whatcha need, Angel?" 

"I need a ride to Mariah's--it's my day to paint." 

"Sure thing, kid." 

"Thanks, Jim. You're a lifesaver." 

"What flavor?" Jim grinned down at her. 

Angela thought for a moment, then grinned widely. "Wintergreen--definitely, wintergreen." 

Jim was puzzled. "Why wintergreen?" 

"'Cause when you bite a Wintergreen Lifesaver, it makes a spark." Angela winked and sashayed back to the bleachers. 

Holmes, one of the new guys, whistled when Angela was out of earshot. "God, she's hot. Is she available?" 

Jim smiled and held up his hands as if to hold the guys back. "You're out of luck, guys. Angela is very definitely taken." 

"Who's she with?" The guys were looking over each other's shoulders to find out if Angela was with anyone in the stands. 

Jim looked toward the bleachers. "I don't think Linda is here. Angela showed up to support Lauren and us." 

"Linda?!?!" Jaws dropped. 

Jim laughed. "Yeah, Linda. You should see them--they make an absolutely stunning couple." 

There were sighs and head shakes as shoulders slumped at the idea of another good one gone.   
  


* * *

Mariah bit her lip as she suffered through another contraction. "Next time, I'm getting the epidural. I don't give a fuck what anyone says." 

Nurse Hills puttered around, muttering that women needed to get tough and deal with it. 

Mariah reached over and grabbed Blair's shirt in her fist, inadvertently grabbing chest hair as well. He winced as she pulled him in close to her face. 

"Get her out of here." Her voice was low and rough, almost like sandpaper. 

"Try and breathe, Mariah." 

She abruptly let him go and called out, knowing he could hear her. "Jim." 

Jim came into the room as Nurse Hills went out carrying towels. 

"Don't let her back in here, Jim." 

Jim looked around. "Who?" 

"That bitch who just left. It's your job to protect the public--you let her back in here and I'm going to throw her out of the window." Mariah looked over at Blair. 

"Find Dr. Smith and get me a new nurse. Nobody's going to have a good time if she is in here when I deliver." 

There was a dangerous glint in Mariah's eyes that told Blair she meant what she said. They'd both had it with the incessant harping of Nurse Hills, and Blair hustled out to the nurses' station to see about getting a new ob nurse assigned. Jim patted him on the shoulder as he made his way out the door. Moving to the chair beside the bed, Jim sat down and held Mariah's hand. He looked around at the birthing room, noticing the warm atmosphere that surrounded them. 

Mariah squeezed his hand and began to breathe through a contraction. Jim didn't say a word until it was over and Mariah collapsed against the raised bed. 

"Ice chips?" 

Mariah nodded and took the chips Jim offered. 

"Is she really that bad?" 

Mariah swiveled her head, and Jim almost felt the daggers. "I guess that's a yes." 

Mariah sighed. "She's patronizing, arrogant, and rude. I don't want someone like that around when my child comes into the world--having those negative thoughts one of the first things the baby encounters." 

Jim smiled. "Sounds like something Blair would say." 

Mariah grinned slightly. "Yeah, well, it's true. She makes me angry and tense, and I do *not* need that. This pain is...bad...enough." Mariah grabbed his hand again, and Jim watched the monitor as another contraction came and went. 

"Looks like it won't be long now." 

Blair came back in with Dr. Smith and a new nurse. Jim stepped outside as Mariah was checked for dilation. He listened in, as did Lauren. They were both relieved when they heard Mariah chuckle at something the nurse said.   
  


* * *

Mariah leaned her head against Blair's shoulders and sobbed with exhaustion. 

"I can't, I can't, I can't." 

Blair's voice was a mantra in her ear. "Yes, you can. You can do this. You are strong and you are beautiful and you're bringing our child into the world. You can do this. I know you can." 

Dr. Smith looked up at the pair, and there was a smile in her voice. "You're doing great, Mariah. C'mon, give me another push." 

Blair grabbed her hands and helped her sit up so she could push. He grimaced when he heard her groan, willing his strength into her. 

"Okay, Mariah, the head is crowning." 

Mariah and Blair both looked at the mirror, past Dr. Smith, to see the baby's head. 

"One more really good push, Mariah." 

Mariah pushed, biting back a scream as the warm, wiggly body of her daughter found its way into the world. Blair wrapped his arms around Mariah and hugged her, alternately laughing and crying, as she slumped against the bed in relief. 

"Blair, Mariah, it's a girl." 

The indignant voice of their daughter made them laugh. Dr. Smith laid the baby on Mariah's belly and motioned Blair over. 

"Blair, do you want to cut the cord?" 

He cut the umbilical cord where Dr. Smith indicated, then looked back to see Mariah cuddling their daughter and cooing to her. 

The pediatric nurse took the baby over to the other side of the room to clean her up and do the necessary tests. Blair leaned down and kissed Mariah's forehead, closing his eyes and whispering a prayer of thanks. Mariah pressed a kiss to one of Blair's hands as they waited for their daughter to come back to them.   
  


* * *

In the waiting room, Jim and Lauren had to turn their hearing down to the lowest level possible to block out Mariah and the rest of the women who were in pain. 

"How do they do it?" Jim leaned back against the wall, the concentration from not listening giving him a headache. 

"The result is definitely worth the pain." Lauren looked over at him, then picked up his hand. 

Everyone continued to wait. Suddenly, Lauren and Jim stood up, both of them hearing the cry of a baby in Mariah's room. They hugged each other, and everyone gathered for a group hug as they waited to find out if it was a boy or girl.   
  


* * *

Blair made his way out into the hall and immediately found himself enveloped in a family hug. He smiled gently. 

"Mariah's resting." Blair looked up at Jim. "So is my daughter." 

The group laughed as they celebrated another Carruthers woman in the world. 

"What's her name?" "How long is she?" "What does she look like?" "How much did she weigh?" 

Blair held up his hands. "Her name is Hannah Grace. She's 19 inches long and weighs 8 pounds, 6 ounces. Mariah says she looks like me, but I think she's as beautiful as her mother." 

He collapsed into a chair. "Mariah was so amazing, she was just incredible." 

Jumping up, he headed back for the room. "I'll see when we can have visitors." 

Everyone just looked at each other and smiled, not surprised Blair couldn't sit still.   
  


* * *

There was only time for quick visits before the nurses ran everyone off. By the time everyone came in and said a quick hello, it was four in the morning, and mother, father, and daughter were tired. 

Mariah had turned, awakening instantly when she heard murmuring. Turning toward the window, she saw the sun peeking through the curtain, giving Blair a golden hue as he held Hannah. When she concentrated, Mariah could make out his words. 

"Hello, little one. I'm your daddy. Now, I know this is kind of scary, but it's going to be okay. Your mommy and I will always be there for you." With trembling fingers, Blair stroked Hannah's cheek, then laid his cheek against her head. 

Mariah felt tears on her cheeks and moved to wipe them away. Blair caught the movement out of the corner of his eyes and walked toward the bed. He sat on the bed and handed their daughter to Mariah, watching as she gently unfolded the blanket to get a really good look at the baby. 

"She's got your curls." Mariah fingered the soft curls that lay against Hannah's head. "I'm glad." 

Blair's hand joined hers as they touched her face and counted her fingers and toes. 

They heard the door creak and looked around the corner to see Naomi standing there. She stood watching them, her eyes shimmering with tears. 

"You all look so beautiful." 

Blair got up and wrapped his mother in a hug. Naomi buried her face in Blair's neck and hugged him hard, then moved to the bed to give Mariah a hug. Mariah handed Hannah to her grandmother, and Blair and Mariah watched as Naomi carried the baby to the window to let the sun wash over her. 

She crooned a prayer over Hannah, then sat down to cuddle her for a while. Mariah curled up on her side, tucking her body into Blair's side, and fell asleep. 

It was a long day, full of laughter, love, and an endless stream of joyful visitors who ooh'd and aah'd over Hannah. Hannah took it all in stride--even the flashes from the cameras that magically appeared. 

Late in the afternoon, after everyone had left for the day, Jim and Lauren snuck into the hospital room. Blair was rocking Hannah, and Jim moved to stand behind the rocking chair and look down at the sleeping child. Lauren gave her sister a kiss and pulled out her camera. 

Mariah groaned. "Oh, please, more pictures?" 

Lauren grinned. "You're going to be happy I took these one day." 

Mariah nodded. "I know, I'm just tired of smiling all the time." 

Lauren rubbed Mariah's hand. "Then don't smile. They'll be good pictures." 

They looked over to find Blair standing up and preparing to hand Hannah over to Jim. For one brief moment, Jim looked terrified, then resolute as he took the baby from Blair. Mariah nudged Lauren, who focused the camera to get a picture. She waited a moment for the perfect shot, then snapped the picture--she knew she'd be keeping a copy of this shot. 

When Lauren had looked through the viewfinder, she saw Jim cuddling Hannah close to his heart, as Blair looked on--one of Blair's hands on Jim's back and the other on his daughter's head. 

Neither men noticed the flash, Blair was too busy watching Jim for a zone-out. 

"What's going on, man?" 

Jim smiled at his guide. "Just imprinting her, Chief." 

"Good." Blair smiled and kissed the smooth skin of his daughter's forehead. He never got tired of doing that--touching her, holding her, smelling her. He adored everything about her, and he adored Mariah for giving her to him. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled at Mariah, and she felt her heart and breath catch. 

Mariah sat up gingerly and wrapped her arms around her legs as she watched them with Hannah. Looking over at Lauren, she grinned widely. 

"I guess I've got some babysitters, don't I?" 

Lauren sat down on the bed and leaned against her sister. "Did you ever doubt it?" 

"No, not really." 

Lauren looked around the room and saw the tape lying there. She picked up and looked it, seeing no identifying markings. 

"Mariah, what's this?" 

Mariah took it and put it in the cassette player. She pushed "play" and a soft lullaby filled the room. Hannah shifted in Jim's arms and turned toward the music as Mariah's voice poured out. 

> __  
> From the first moment I knew  
>  That moment, I called you mine  
> The first whisper of love  
> I took it as a sign  
> That I'd love you every one of my days  
> In an infinite number of ways
> 
> Little one, do you hear my voice, hear me call  
> Little one, I won't let you go, and I won't let you fall  
> I will hold out my arms and cover you with love  
> Little one, you're my gift from heaven above
> 
> From the first moment I knew  
> That moment, I called you mine  
> The first whisper of love  
> I took it as a sign  
> That I'd love you every one of my days  
> In an infinite number of ways
> 
> Baby mine, you're all the dreams in my heart  
> Baby love, this is just the start  
> You bring joy and laughter to a world without light  
> You're the brightest start in the night
> 
> From the first moment I knew  
> That moment, I called you mine  
> The first whisper of love  
> I took it as a sign  
> That I'd love you every one of my days  
> In an infinite number of ways

Lauren sighed as the song ended. "That was beautiful, Mariah." 

Mariah blushed a little. "Thanks. Blair and I wrote it about a month ago, and we've been playing it to Hannah since then. Maybe it's motherhood, maybe it's just sheer happiness, but I keep getting all these little phrases popping into my head that express how I feel in *just* the right way--I have to write them down." 

She looked toward Blair and Hannah. "At this rate, we're going to end up performing all original stuff when we're down at the bar." 

Lauren nudged her. "That wouldn't be so bad, you know." 

Mariah nodded. "Yeah, I know." 

Hannah began to fuss, and Jim looked stricken. "What did I do?" 

Mariah grinned as Blair gathered her up and brought the baby to her. "You didn't do anything, Jim, she's just hungry." 

"Do you want me to leave?" Jim turned toward the door. 

"Only if you're going to laugh at me." Mariah started unbuttoning her nightgown as she cooed to Hannah. 

"Why would I do that?" 

"Because we haven't quite got this nursing thing down yet." 

Mariah moved her nightgown out of the way and unfastened her nursing bra, bringing Hannah up to her breast and coaxing her to latch on to the nipple. After a minute of fumbling, they both settled into a comfortable position, and Mariah made a funny face when Hannah began to nurse. Mariah brushed a curl as Hannah lifted her hand and scratched her fingers against Mariah's breast. 

Blair and Jim settled into chairs near the window as Lauren settled into a spot at the end of the bed. They watched as Mariah nursed Hannah, then switched sides and finished nursing her. When she finished, she handed the baby to Blair so that he could burp her. 

Jim watched, amazed, as Blair patted and rubbed Hannah's back until she burped, then laughed as Blair scrunched his face when Hannah burped in his face. 

"She's definitely a Sandburg." 

Blair shook his head and laughed as he laid Hannah back in the bassinet. 

Their quiet conversation continued until both Jim and Lauren noticed that Blair and Mariah were saying less and yawning more. Hugs were shared, and Jim and Lauren slipped out, leaving peaceful sleepers behind.   
  


* * *

Blair stopped the wheelchair in front of the Jeep and loaded everything into the back as Mariah settled Hannah in her car seat in the back seat. She climbed up beside her and waited for Blair to take them home. As they made their way through traffic, she caught Blair's eyes. 

"Did you tell him?" 

"Yeah, last night." 

"How did he take it?" 

"Pretty well, considering. Although, I think he was expecting it. I mean, could you stay away from her?" 

Mariah reached over and stroked one of Hannah's tiny hands. "No, I couldn't. I'm glad he understood, but I think he's going to be lonely. At least you'll still be there with him at work." 

"Yeah, but I don't think he's going to be lonely for long." Blair looked back at them as they waited for the light to change. 

"You really think she'll move in?" 

"Yeah, I do. He's been spending an awful lot of time over there--it just makes sense that they'd end up together." 

"Hmmm." Mariah switched to stroking the other hand. 

They were silent until they pulled up in front of the house. For a moment, they just sat there. Blair unbuckled his seat belt and turned in the seat, staring at Mariah and Hannah. 

Mariah stretched out her hand to him, and he grabbed it, entwining their fingers. "Together." 

Blair brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss there. "Together." 

They gathered their daughter and their belongings and made their way into their home.   
  


* * *

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